Tortured Minds, Broken Souls
by Angel-Chan
Summary: Follows 'Fated.' The future can be whatever you want. As life continues, will friends continue to be friends, or will everything slowly fall apart?
1. Part One: Dreams

_**Tortured Minds, Broken Souls**_

_Part One: Dreams_

All our dreams can come true, if we only have the courage to pursue them.– Walt Disney

_The sky..._

_Never before had he seen it so... so _blue_. It was as though a painter, one who saw past the world as it was now, took up his brush and covered the canvas with the purest of blues– the kind that only existed within the dreams and fantasies of children. A clear blue horizon that stretched out as far as the eye could see. Sadly, it was also lacking clouds and a sun. It was just... blue._

_Wind rippled around him, playing with his unkempt hair and pajamas in a feeble attempt at knocking him off course; he paid it no mind, knowing that dreams could do him no harm in the long run, and continued his journey through the empty sky. Sure, it _could_ have been one of those simple flying dreams, where he fell in the end, thus resulting in a rather quick awakening... but it wasn't._

_After all, he'd dreamed this for the past five years._

_How did he know that, you wonder? Well, in just a few days, a rather chilling anniversary would come and hit him upside the head. This anniversary would not bear witness to candles or presents or cheers... It would only see tears... aching hearts... and pain._

_Nearly five years ago, Digimon had walked the earth– if only for a day– and he, Takato Matsuki, had been the main tool to create _and_ destroy these creatures. Not only that... but his girlfriend had also lost her father that day as well... When the monsters– it was the only way he could describe them, although he himself believed them to be more than that degrading term– disappeared into the sky, he and his friends had thought that everything was over... _done

_That was... until a week before the one-year mark. You see, Takato started having dreams. Not just any dreams, mind you... but ones of flying through the sky– like the one he was having now! In the morning, when he finally escaped the repeating visions, the boy was greeted by a pounding, skull-splitting headache that lasted the entire day and nearly drove him mad. The pang ended on the day of the anniversary... but always came back the next year, stronger than ever, dragging the dreams along with it._

_He wanted to tell someone– anyone– about these strange events, but Takato didn't want his friends and family to worry. Especially Rika. However... it felt _wrong_ to keep such a large secret from the one person he loved. _Was_ it wrong...? Honestly, he wasn't sure._

_Then again... there _was_ one person he was always tempted to tell: Yamaki. Why? Why tell a person he hardly knew and not the girl he cared for? Well, the man seemed to have _great_ timing, you know? Right when the pain hit its climax on the morning of the yearly-mark, Mr. Yamaki would call and simply ask, "So, how are you feeling?" Strange, right?_

_It... it was as though he _wanted_ Takato to tell him..._

_The boy sighed and gazed out. Soon the dream would end, and he'd be left tired and aching and begging his mom to let him stay home. Who cared if he was doing 'good' in school at the moment– that he had 'perfect' attendance? Not him! "If you miss ONE day of school, mister, you'll miss a LOT of days at the park!" Yeah... that's what his mom told him; it's not like it MATTERED if he got sick, huh?_

_A low humming sound filled his ears; Takato didn't even have to look to know where and what it was: a Kabuterimon was gliding right below him. Big shocker there... It glanced at him, nodded in acknowledgment, then pointed toward a large tower rising out in the horizon._

_...odd, he'd never seen _that_ before._

_Perhaps he saw more as the years went by...? Come to think of it, he didn't see the flying bug Digimon until his second year. Shrugging to himself, the brown haired teen set his sights for the one thing that decided to mar the beauty of the sky._

_Marble and glass seemed to be what the tower was mainly made of; up close, he could see the detail put into the walls and ledges that had been blind to his eye from the distance he'd first seen it. Carvings curled out, forming grotesque gargoyles that resembled different well known Digimon. Each one seemed to grin and welcome him. The windows, stained in such a variety of colors that the boy could only stare in awe, depicted various scenes that one could only assume was the creatures' history. For some reason, Takato couldn't take his eyes off of one window in particular... One of a person, visage darkened so as to confuse the viewer (at least, that was his understanding), standing before a group of Digimon with a optimistic glow in the background... as though that person was leading the Digimon to a safe haven..._

_Shaking his head, Takato glided down to the opened door; try all he might, the image of salvation would not fade from his mind. When he woke up in the morning, he'd have to attempt a sketch– heck, he'd have to make a few sketches! Bare feet met plush, carpeted material as he landed softly. He coughed. Didn't expect such luxurious decoration in a land he figured was ruled by Digimon. Then again, who was _he_ to expect so little from the creatures?_

"_Ah, you're here!"_

_Huh...? The brown haired boy snapped his head up in shock. Before him stood an Angemon, staff placed out before him proudly. Its wings flapped in anticipation as it awaited Takato's seemingly-important response. Of course, the poor teen could only stare in an uneducated stupor._

_Smiling gently, the angel Digimon reached out his hand. "Are you okay, Creator...?" questioned the creature in a worried tone._

_What did it say...? "C-Creator...?" Takato mouthed. Why... why would that Angemon...? Just as he was about to give his thoughts a voice, everything around him blurred. The Digimon before him faded; the tower's ravishing decor became dull; and the perfectly blue sky... melted into black._

> > > > > > > > > >

His head was already pounding when he woke; the natural side-effect of the persistent dreams, yes, but it still seemed to take him by surprise. Takato clenched his teeth and sat up, struggling to gain control of his unfocused eyes. How on Earth did he live through this every year...? Well, he knew that he wasn't exactly strong or anything. _'I'm just stubborn,'_ he told himself, although at times he didn't believe that was the true reason.

Papers were scattered about the boy's room; each one held a small story: pictures, homework, rambles, you get the idea. Clothing covered the floor in a rather mottled fashion, making many wonder if he had a carpet or not (of _course_ he did– it was... it was, you know, _carpet-like_...). It was just your average, run-of-the-mill teenager room. Nothing special– no posters, no stereo system, no computer... Okay, so he DID have a PlayStation2... which meant that he had a television, too... but that didn't matter!

Groaning, the teen weakly massaged his temples as he attempted to think about the new additions to his yearly dream. Creator... He'd not heard that word in such a long time. In fact, he thought he'd never hear it again. Sucks to be wrong, huh...?

Still, that dream probably meant nothing– just some leftovers from five years ago that wanted to screw with his mind and make him go insane. After all, how often were his dreams real? Once? That doesn't make them very believable then, right? ...but, would he have met Rika had he not had that one, seemingly-unimportant dream...?

Maybe there was more to this than he let himself believe.

_Tmp! Tmp! Tmp!_

"Takato, you had BETTER be up!"

A smile, frailand lacking much effort, forced itself upon his face; shaking his throbbing head, he called, "I am, Mom!" and slowly rose to his feet. Yes, Mrs. Matsuki was STILL the sleepyheaded teen's alarm clock. Wrong? I think _not_. Depressing? Well... perhaps a little. Tossing on the closest shirt (a red, long-sleeved t-shirt with a black dragon scrolling down the left arm), the brown haired boy sighed inwardly. School didn't sound good to him– not today...

Alas, like it or not, our poor goggle-less teen _had_ to go.

He just wouldn't like it.

> > > > > > > > >

A/N: Ummm... konnichiwa! ...don't give me that look–at least I reappeared before the one-year mark! Yeah, so... anyway, this is the first thing I can update right now. It's a measly update, I know, but I want to get this idea out to everyone. This little story is probably only gonna be about three chapters long; it's an _interlude_, if you will, to the soon-to-be-posted sequel to my beloved 'Fated.' The title of the sequel? 'Destined.' (Lame, I know... so sue me!)

I have this whole thing planned out, it's just that finding time to type is very hard. College+work+life(and video games...)one big stressful mess. I'm typing a little bit at a time, and hopefully will have the next chapters to this done within the week (so long as I can scrounge up some spare time). I WAS planning on updating a lot of things, but the only chapter that is even remotely close to being done is the one for 'School Day Blues.' So be on the lookout for random updates from little old me!

Anyway, this is my own idea, made up shortly after I received a few reviews saying that I should continue with the 'Fated' storyline. What do you think? Good idea so far? Continue? Scrap? Go back to whatever hole I crawled out of? ...please don't choose the latter.

All-in-all, I just wanted to tell everyone that I AM NOT DEAD! I also have a deviantart page (check my info). I'd love to hear what you guys think; and it'd help if you told me what stories YOU want updated (again, check the list on my info!)! Well, since I'm running on pure sugar right now, I'd better go work on a few fics! Ja ne!–Angel-Chan (Rukato _forever_!)


	2. Part Two: Friendship

_A/N: Trying to get back into updating again--what has it been, a year? For anyone who has been waiting for e-mail replies, I apologize. School hates me, work sucks, and my body likes being sick. I will reply to all e-mails once finals are over next week. This chapter may need some editing later, but I wanted to get this out early. :) Thanks to everyone reading this!_

_**Tortured Minds, Broken Souls**_

_Part Two: Friendship_

"Friendship takes time, and we have no time to give it."--Agnes Repplier

It was almost time….

The glossy green leaves currently hiding the curious onlooker shifted slightly; if one were to stare at the bush hard enough, they might have caught a pair of rather suspicious eyes glaring back at them. Sadly, the only person within viewing limits was currently entranced by something else entirely: a book. All for the better, right? With a soft snort, the 'hunter' turned from his 'prey' for a moment.

This plan had to work! He'd been devising the stupid thing for almost a week now, and--by golly--it _would_ work! All he had to do was hope that all the pieces would fall into place (which, most likely, they would). Rest assured, he was prepared for a good round of 'laugh-your-arse-off-at-the-gullible-idiot!' Still… here's hoping that Bookworm actually feared things other than a late fee from the library. Glancing back at the oblivious figure huddled over the 'precious' paperback (_God, who wanted to read books for fun?_), the teen took a second to chew on his thumbnail nervously. Darn nail-biting habit….

"Boss! Everything's ready!"

Kazu spun on his heels, slapping a gloved hand over lacky no. 1's big mouth. Moron! Didn't anyone know how to follow orders these days? "Shut up," he hissed, "or the plan's as good as dead!" Why did he even bother? The last two missions had ended quite miserably thanks to certain incompetent people (no names, of course). It was like everyone _enjoyed _seeing his plans sink! The taste of agonizing defeat sucked way too much to have it happen all the time. With a sigh, the boy turned to the only one he trusted to be obedient: "Kenta, how's everything?"

Glasses gleaming mischievously, his cohort flashed a thumbs up. Now _that_ was a good sign. Maybe they actually could pull it off this time…. "Ikari and Sato are ready whenever you are, man," he said, squeezing into the small group as best as he could.

Alrighty! Now, he knew he had to hold in his laughter until the end--but, dang, was it hard! No need to break down before it was done, eh? He could see it now, how perfect it would be. In the end, the whole school could share a hearty laugh, praising him for such an entertaining sight. A toothy, dimwitted grin became plastered on Kazu's face as he nodded to Shou, aka lacky no. 1, to get ready. As Shou got into 'costume' (which was awesome, by the way, seeing as the great Kazu made it), Kenta let out a soft whistle. Groupies 2 and 3 whistled back, albeit badly… who the hell taught them how to whistle?

"Showtime," Kazu murmured, gnawing on his thumbnail again.

The two started walking up, talking about God knows what and taking their sweet time. Come on, come on, get to the point before you miss the target! Ikari finally stated, "Oh, hey! Did you hear? Someone saw one of those creatures running around recently."

Sato gasped, though it sounded more like a fish without water. Kazu made a mental note to teach them all how to act, and maybe make them join drama club. "Really?" he asked. "You mean those digimon things from a few years ago that destroyed the city?" The prey looked at them for a moment….

"Yeah… I've heard that people have been going missing around here, too. I wonder if that has anything to do with it."

Hell, yes! Success! Kazu couldn't help but chuckle softly as the two walked past , still chatting about random crap. The bookworm shifted uneasily for a moment, casting a glance up and down the street. Why, what was she looking for? Hmm? In that moment, he gave the word to start phase two.

Shou, clad in a plaster mask and fur coat (courtesy of Kenta's mom, who knew nothing of this idea), leapt from the bushes. A thundering _"Rrrraaargh!"_ exploded from his lips as he bounded toward the target: a frail girl hunched over a thick book.

She looked up; all color drained from her already pale face; her mouth slacked, closed, then opened again to let out a scream… but none came (much to Kazu's disappointment). Her eyes were wide in fear, crying, pleading for help. Instantly, she was up, book flung at her attacker before she fled. Was that clatter her glasses falling to the concrete? Oh, well, who cared about that?

Then she screamed. A shrill scream that pierced the serenity of the schoolyard. It was music to his ears, simply blissful. …he was enjoying her reactions way too much. Maybe he was a sadist?

Nah.

She stumbled and fell over the street curb as she ran. Unable to get back up, she began to crawl. How pathetic. Was this all he could get out of her? Well, he supposed that would suffice. After debating whether or not he was pleased with the results, Kazu finally popped out of the bushes. Guffawing as loudly as he could, he pointed and shouted, "Idiot!" a few times while his comrades joined in suit. Best prank _ever!_ Ah, who cared if it was a little cruel? Most people would probably get a kick out of it! As he moved closer, still chuckling, his eyes caught her confused look full of tears; it was almost like she were asking him why…. Gee, and why _not_? With another laugh, Kazu crossed his arms and--

A car. There was a car. Oh, shit, and headed straight at her!

Kazu felt his whole body clench up. This wasn't a part of his plan! God, now what? What should he do? Run out and save her? After all that? But what about the laughs? Where was the humor?

…everything was silent--like someone put the world on mute. No laughter, no comments, just him and his thoughts. _'I need to do something!'_ he realized. _'Why the hell can't I move?!'_ If he didn't do anything, it wouldn't really be his fault… would it?

Maybe the car would stop in time. Things like that happen all the time, right? People know how to watch the road, it's the law. Glancing over, he blanched: it was like the driver didn't even see her! What now? He wanted to do something, but the car kept coming, and he still didn't budge.

The next moment seemed so much longer than a few mere seconds. The girl tried to stand. Ankle twisted from earlier, she tumbled. Not fast enough. No way could she make it. Crap, crap, crap. Stand up, idiot! Almost on her…! Suddenly, she was flying toward him. Wait--flying? A mop of brown hair filled his vision, and all questions were answered. Kazu was filled with a sudden wave of relief. The car buzzed past harmlessly, blaring a rather annoying car horn.

"What were you thinking?!"

W-what? Takato was instantly up in Kazu's face, jamming a finger at his chest accusingly. "The hell do you mean, man?" Kazu shouted back, shoving the boy away from him. What was _his_ problem? Sure, things looked bad a few minutes ago (heck, his mind had been racing so fast that he could hardly remember what he was thinking!), but everything was peachy-keen now, right? The bookworm was not a dark stain in the middle of the road, just shaking and sobbing in Rika's arms. A shrug. "It was just a prank."

A growl leaked from Takato's throat (since when did Takato growl?) before murmuring, "Just… just a _prank?_" What was he going to do--hit him? Hah! He'd like to see him try! A smirk formed on Kazu's lips at the thought. After a moment of silence, Takato had finally calmed himself down. "You almost let someone die."

"But no one actually died. See? No harm done." They'd gotten quite the crowd, hadn't they? The various gazes seemed a little unnerving, but the extra attention was what he had wanted. He was actually surprised that none of the faculty had appeared yet, screaming their wrinkled heads off at him. …perhaps he had overdone it--just a little. That didn't matter, though. No one got hurt, so everything should be fine and dandy again! _'Just laugh and continue on, please.' _With a grin, he leaned toward the cowering girl and added: "Right, Booky? You're A-okay!"

She looked away, hugging her bent book and broken glasses closer. "Stop it," Rika hissed. "You've done more than enough." Was it just him, or was her voice dripping with a lot more malice today? Kazu snorted at the redhead as she attempted to comfort the poor 'victim.'

A shift to the right brought his attention back to Takato. Finally! He looked a lot calmer now. Maybe he'd finally come to his senses and realized, 'Hey! Kazu's not the bad-guy here!' Instead, he whispered, "Kazu, I--people are getting sick of your shenanigans. This one went too far. I really don't think you understand the seriousness of what happened. Someone almost _died_. …darn it. I really don't feel like putting up with your crap--not today." He massaged his head and groaned, face scrunched in pain. "You should just stop it, seriously. Look at what happened today: I might not have been here."

So… was he trying to say it was all his fault? No, nu-uh, sorry. Sure, he knew he played a part in this mess, but it was a minor one. How could he be the only one to blame? What gave Takato the right to place the blame solely on him? "N-nothing bad happened. Can't we just forget about it?" Damn, his voice had gotten shaky while saying that. …was that what this was? Make-Kazu-feel-horrible plan, in action.

No one even answered him. No one….

"I see how it is! You guys just don't know how to appreciate a good joke, do you? I try to supply the funny, and just because something ALMOST happens, I'm mister bad-man-naughty-pants. Well, excuse me, but if that's how you feel… than I suppose we aren't friends, are we?"

Takato faltered, mouth hanging open in shock. Yeah… what now, huh? Like he was going to put up with someone pushing the blame on him. Kazu rolled his eyes, shoved his hands into his pockets, and spun around. His ex-friend sputtered something stupid-sounding in the background, but he ignored it. Didn't want to catch the stupidity, after all.

…he couldn't help himself. He had to at least peek at her--his prey. An odd emotion walloped Kazu upside the head when his glance met her swollen eyes: guilt? Anger? At what, himself? What a laugh. "Screw you all," he muttered as he trudged away. His posse, which had been scattered throughout the area, silently followed at his heels. That was what he needed, people who would stick with him. People who were loyal, no matter what. No one wanted people who would only bring them down. "Let's go."

Kenta was the only one who lingered. He glanced back and forth for a moment, worry apparent on his face. "Hey!" Kazu called, waving the boy down. "Come on, forget about those losers!" He noted that his pal seemed rather reluctant; he'd have to question him about it later.

It was the start of a new day, and the end of something precious as well.

* * *

A/N: Simply put, they both overreacted. Takato's sense of justice clashed with Kazu's 'I'm the best!' attitude. I really didn't want to do this, I swear! However, whenever I wrote this chapter, the two were stubborn idiots (well, Takato's dealing with massive headaches and Kazu's prank got way too serious) and ended up butting heads like mad. I don't like it, but the characters wanted to fight; their ideals were just too different. ;-; Kazu should have taken most or part of the blame (it was his fault she was there in the first place), and Takato should have been much more understanding (who knew a car would come, or that she would run into the street and stay there?!). Don't worry, though. In a way, it's like those fights people have where they don't talk for ages, then say: Why the hell aren't we talking, anyway? My love for the dumb duo is much too great to get rid of them before _Destined._ They'll be making a come-back. 

Wow… I wrote a lot for wanting to explain things in few sentences. Bah. Anyway, one chapter left, following none other than Rika! Be prepared, 'cause I'm on a roll! Once finals are over, that is. Comments are always welcome; I'd like to know what people think.--Angel-Chan


	3. Part Three: Future

A/N: I won't be able to get on the internet as much from now on. My roommate and I had to move to a new apartment (long story), and well… we can no longer swipe from unsecured servers (because there are none). Very sad, really. So now I can only get on at school and whatnot, until we can financially afford the internet. Anyway, here's the last chapter to the interlude between _Fated_ and _Destined._ I once again dabbled with a slightly different style--hope no one minds. I'm just trying to find my writing spirit, I suppose. I also apologize for how short this chapter is.

_**Tortured Minds, Broken Souls**_

_Part Three: Future_

"Let him that would move the world first move himself."-Seneca

Rika was worried.

After the incident, Takato had barely let out a peep. Usually he would be chattering away during lunch, smiling and laughing, but now…. It was like Kazu's actions had left more than a bad taste in her boyfriend's mouth. He sat far from everyone, silent and brooding, not even touching his lunch. She had tried to talk to him, but he merely shook his head and turned away.

What was he thinking? What thoughts littered his mind? She could only guess. Most of the time he was as readable as a book; but he could veil his emotions quite well if he tried. He learned from the master, after all.

"Is Takato okay…?"

Oh. Rika turned to the voice, forcing a smile on her face and brushing the question aside with a few meaningless words. A slightly unsure Jeri stared back at her. In an act of desperation, Rika attempted to change the subject ("So, how was your date with Henry?") while picking at the flower to her left. The daisy met its match as she unconsciously tugged at the pale petals until they fell one-by-one. The rest of lunch was spent like this, her friend rambling about her night while the redhead's eyes lingered on Takato, occasionally reaching out and grasping his clammy hand.

_Something _wasn't right. No matter how hard she tried to sway her thoughts, make herself believe that all would be well in a few days, the same idea ran through her mind. What was wrong? Why couldn't she shake this odd feeling overflowing from her chest? Rika found herself lingering on this throughout the day, well into her choir club practice.

At some point, her teacher's monotonous voice invaded her thoughts: "Nonaka--you're almost two beats behind everyone else." The woman raised a bushy brow in annoyance before adding, "Let's try not to have that happen again."

She cursed her instructor silently, though the snap back to reality did not go unappreciated. Rika sighed. They began once more, from the beginning, piano leading the large group of teens into a flurry of notes and melodies that had taken many meetings to perfect.

The redhead found herself glancing around the room, beyond her fellow students, until she became entranced by a small crack in the light green paint. It was tiny--an old nail hole, perhaps--with no signs of patchwork. Although it wasn't a problem at the moment, what would happen if she began to pick at it every so often…? Soon the crack would be large and glaringly noticeable to scrutinizing eyes; and if not, how big would it grow if left unattended, wounded, crying for help?

The song reached its climax, voices speeding and bouncing around the room, instantly blending together into one harmonious moment. As the chord died down, Rika stepped forward to deliver the ending solo:

"_Give me your love--undying, unyielding,_

_And wait for me… wait for me._

_I will grow strong--supporting, caring,_

_So wait for me… wait… for me."_

A few pats on the back shocked her; she turned to the other club members and tossed out a small smirk, crossing her arms like she would any other time. They all chuckled happily, probably thinking: that was Nonaka--a girl to count on when a solo needed done! Of course, no one knew of the emotions swirling inside of her. How would they? Word of the event that morning had been slow, possibly squashed by the teachers, and only those who had been there knew the truth. In the end, her heart just wasn't up to messing around today.

Once the teacher announced that practice was over, Rika scrambled for her things and rushed out the door. It was okay to speed out of there every so often, right? A yawn escaped her lips as she stretched. It was tiring, just standing around for hours at a time. To her right, the window displayed a deep red sunset. Slowly, the shimmering blanket of night would douse the sun's light as it wrapped itself around the heavens. Walking down the empty hallway, the redhead unconsciously adjusted her blue jean jacket.

Takato was waiting for her, even though she'd scolded him to go home, so she had to hurry.

It had all happened earlier:

"I have choir club today," she whispered to him, rubbing his shoulders gently. The room was slowly emptying as their classmates left for home or other activities.

The boy nodded dully, glancing away and muttering something her ears couldn't quite hear.

Cupping his face, she gave him a sharp but loving glare. "Go home," she demanded, firm and clear in her intentions. "I'm quite capable of walking by myself, and I would be much happier if you went and got some rest." Of course, she left out the fact that, before this day, Takato would normally spend his time with the dynamic duo while waiting….

He finally allowed his weak gaze to meet hers; a withered smile formed on his lips. "S'okay," he insisted. "I can wait." Laughing lightly, he gave her a chaste kiss on the nose. "Don't worry about me--I think I brought a book, or maybe my ga--"

"That's not why I'm worried."

Rika studied him silently as he looked away for a moment. He was holding back his pain, and it was only hurting him more. Wasn't he the one who taught her never to do something like that? He finally put on an obviously fake smile and replied, "I… I can't let _everything_ get to me, right?"

----

She tried not to let it bother her. Truthfully, she was a little miffed that Takato refused to confide in her all the troubles tormenting him. He had his reasons, she supposed, but just as he had done for her long ago, she swore to stay by his side (and prod him until he finally _did_ tell her).

The stairs were long and twisted, like the rocky path down a small mountain or hill. Rika found herself skipping down them, passing three or four at a time to speed up. Not even stopping to think her next action through, she leapt to the floor below. She couldn't help but curl her lips upward as she landed on her feet, pleased with her results.

Pushing open the large glass doors of the school, she was greeted by a cool gush of wind; it toyed with the loose strands of hair dangling in front of her face. It was a little colder than she'd expected. The street lights were flickering on, one by one, soft rays of hope in the bleakness of dark. Lost for a moment in night's subtle tranquility, Rika closed her eyes and allowed herself to pause. Sometimes she found the evening to be calming, relaxing.

Deep breath. The girl began to walk forward, but not too quickly. She didn't want to seem like she was in a hurry to get back to him, even though she _was_. Violet eyes searching, she tried to spot her boyfriend--for some reason, he wasn't where he normally stood (usually he'd be yawning and counting the stars in the sky with a goofy look on his face). She finally came to the gate, peeking out and around, thinking that he might have wanted to relax elsewhere.

Nothing.

Fear flashed through her body for a moment, tugging at her eyebrows and teasing her heart. Where was he? Did something happen to him?! Her head was spinning as various ideas, many highly doubtful but extremely pessimistic, coursed through her. Logic overcame her raging emotions, and Rika thought to herself for a second: _'Maybe he listened to me. Maybe he went home.'_

With a chuckle, she chided herself for being such a worrywart. Pulling out her cellphone and dialing the number to the bakery, she rolled her eyes. He tried to put on a tough-guy front around her, but couldn't keep it--huh? Maybe she would go visit him for a while.

"Hello, Matsuki Bakery! How can I help you?"

"Ah, Mrs. Matsuki! It's me, Rika," she cheerily announced, switching the phone to her left ear. "I was just wondering how Takato was doing."

The woman on the other end let out a confused laugh. "What do you mean, dear? Aren't you two walking home together?"

Everything seemed to come to a halt. Her mind raced, Takato wasn't home, _Takato wasn't home._ All that she had been dreading minutes before came back to taunt her. Takato's mother began talking again, but the words were lost to her. All Rika could think of was _where _Takato could have gone. Keeping her voice as normal as possible, she said, "Oh, how silly of me! I see him now--the jerk, he was hiding. Well, sorry for bothering you!" And she hung up.

Feet pounding the cement below, Rika ran as fast as she could away from the school. She didn't know where she was going, but she knew she had to go somewhere. It was like before… just like before, when he had disappeared. Back then, she'd been so scared. Scared for him, scared of what would happen. The time flew past as she jogged. The twilight grew darker around her, enveloping her world in a surreal sense of deja-vu that only sent her reeling further.

She slowed to a stop in front of a railroad track, panting and wiping her forehead; her bangs stuck to her face, jutting out in awkward angles. Why was she worrying herself like this? That was something--_one thing_--that happened long ago. There was no way something like that would happen again, right? Holding a hand to her chest, the redhead could only pray that she was correct.

There was no sign of a train, so Rika crossed cautiously. There was only one place Takato would go, only one place she could think of that would be comforting to him at a time like this. She hastily made her way to the park.

----

The park was beautiful at night. Small lamps lit the pathways, creating looming shadows that beckoned to the weary traveler from behind the trees. As she wove her way through the foliage, she ran her fingers on the bark of one larger tree and glanced at it fondly. When she was younger, Rika had climbed that tree and fallen off, breaking her arm. Somehow, it became her favorite spot to hide, though she hadn't visited it in quite a while.

The area opened up before her, revealing a small playground shining in the moonlight. The swing set, the jungle gym--everything was still the same as so long ago, welcoming her like an old friend. But that wasn't what caught her amethyst eyes. There, off to the right, sat Takato, hugging his knees close. He looked so frail, shuddering slightly in the cold. Why didn't he have his jacket…?

After what seemed like hours, Rika's voice shattered the silence: "You really like to try my nerves, don't you?" No response. Though he tired, ignoring her did no good. Smiling weakly, she tiptoed across the sandbox and took a seat beside him. "Soo…," she drawled, "mind telling me what's wrong?"

Takato averted his eyes, but leaned into her open arms. He was like an icicle, barely melting in her warm embrace. Running her hands through his messy brown hair, Rika whispered a soft, "It's okay…," and kissed his forehead. An ominous feeling suddenly crawled over her, and she withheld a sob. What was that? For some reason, she wanted to cry….

"He chased me here."

"W-what?" Her attention shifted back to the boy in her arms.

With a sniffle, he muttered, "Kazu. He chased me here; and his lackies took my backpack. I think it's in the creek."

A growl rumbled in her throat. "Those bastards…." But before she could put her anger to good use, Takato held her closer and began to cry. Salty tears ran down his rose-dyed cheeks as he bawled, each howl lashing deeper into Rika's heart. So this was what he had been holding back….

"I hate them!" he screamed through sobs. "I can't wait to get out of here--to go to a college where people don't pick on each other or play stupid pranks. I… I can't stand it, can't stand _any _of it!" So he yelled and wept until sleep overcame him, cheeks splattered with cold tears of anguish. Sadly, even then he was not granted peace; his brows remained furrowed in agony, sadness, pain.

Rika was taken aback by the intensity pouring from his words, unable to do anything but hold him. After wiping his face gently with her sleeve, she looked out to the dark sky. What was going on…? Had the day been so terrible that he now wanted to… to what? Go away? But why?

The redhead closed her eyes and clutched the boy tightly. He _wanted _to move on, right? Grief streamed down her face in rivulets, catching a ride on the blowing wind as it passed by. It happened so quickly…. In but a moment, he had decided on his future. Something he would work hard for, something she believed he could achieve.

…but where did she fit in that picture?

----

A/N: My favorite line: _Slowly, the shimmering blanket of night would douse the sun's light as it wrapped itself around the heavens._ Don't ask me why. Anyway, so we have the end of the interlude between 'Fated' and 'Destined.' I suppose Takato's choice is partially affected by the headaches he's currently enduring. Let's see… there are a few major factors that will play an important role in upcoming chapters: Takato's dream; the fight between Takato and Kazu; and Rika's thoughts on the future. I hope everyone will stick with me, seeing as I'm actually writing again. I swear I won't disappear, but school does seem to have a way with me, making me forget anything else that needs done. So forgive me if I take a while. I have the first few chapters of 'Destined' done, but I must edit them and try to flesh them out some. Until then, please review and tell me what you thought!--Angel-Chan


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